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Majority support referendum on gay marriage (UK)

by McBlog • 26 November 2012 • Comments Off on Majority support referendum on gay marriage (UK)

The Telegraph 24 November 2012 A majority of the population backs holding a referendum on same-sex marriage rather than leaving the decision to MPs, polling suggests. More than twice as many people are in favour of the idea of a national poll on the question as are against, it found. It comes amid claims that David Cameron is drawing up plans to fast-track a bill to change the marriage laws through Parliament in the New Year. Mr Cameron is said to be keen to get a bill through the Commons well before the next election to prevent it becoming a complication. But ComRes poll, commissioned by the Coalition For Marriage, which campaigns against legalising same-sex marriage, suggests widespread public scepticism about trusting politicians to make the final decision. In total 54 per cent agreed with the statement that “given the controversy over legalising same-sex marriage it should be decided by a national referendum and not just a House of Commons vote.” Of those 23 per cent agreed strongly.By contrast only 26 per cent of those questioned opposed a referendum including nine per cent strongly.

Support for a referendum straddled party political boundaries, with 53 per cent of both likely Conservative and Liberal Democrats voters and 56 per cent of Labour supporters were in favour. Women were marginally more enthusiastic about a referendum than men (55 per cent against 53 per cent). Support was relatively constant across all age groups except those over 65 who were even more strongly in favour.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9699133/Majority-support-referendum-on-gay-marriage.html